Pre-Law Emphasis

Pre-Law Emphasis

The Department of Philosophy offers an Emphasis in Pre-Law to provide interested undergraduates with a course of study which emphasizes the development of skills in logical reasoning and argumentation, in linguistic and ethical analysis, and in clear and precise communication.

Pre-Law Courses

All Philosophy courses emphasize oral discussion and well-reasoned writing, both of which are absolutely essential and non-negotiable for careers in law. However, the Department also offers several courses of special interest to Pre-Law students. These include:

PHIL351: Political Philosophy (3): Analysis of fundamental political concepts such as the legitimacy of government, the relation of justice to coercive power, the morality of war, political obligation, and sovereignty; and/or a study of political ideologies such as socialism, classical liberalism, and conservatism.

PHIL352I: Philosophy of Law (3): Study of the historical development of the philosophy of law and examination of the problems in the field ranging from general theories to analysis of fundamental legal concepts and normative issues. (Majors receive General Education credit for an Interdisciplinary IC/capstone course, as well as credit toward the major. Non-majors receive General Education credit for an Interdisciplinary course and for an upper-division C.2.b. “Philosophy” course.)

PHIL451. Liberty and Justice: Race, Ethnicity, and Gender in American Law (3): Philosophical and legal analysis of how liberty and justice for different races, ethnic groups, and genders have been treated in American law. . (Majors receive General Education credit for a Human Diversity course and an Interdisciplinary IC/Capstone course, as well as credit toward the major. Non-majors receive General Education credit for a Human Diversity course and an Interdisciplinary course and an upper-division C.2.b. “Philosophy” course.) Prerequisites: upper-division standing (junior standing required; senior standing recommended); six units of philosophy or consent of instructor.

PHIL489: Philosophy Internship/Pre-Law (3-6): Internship with private organizations and governmental agencies with law-related focus. Recent internships have been completed at the California Coastal Commission, the Orange County Public Defenders’ Office, the Orange County Bar Foundation, and various private firms. Work is done under the joint supervision of the program sponsor and CSULB Philosophy Pre-Law Advisor. A mid-term and final report and internship conferences are required. Grading: Credit/No-Credit. Prerequisites: completion of a minimum of 15 upper-division units required for the Philosophy major.

Choice of Major

Law schools do not recommend any particular major for admission. In particular, the American Bar Association (in Law as a Career) states:

An undergraduate should be aware that there is no particular course of study that is required or preferred by law schools. Accordingly, students from a wide variety of majors (e.g., Philosophy, Physics, Political Science, Engineering, and Business) are admitted to law schools each year. There is no true pre-law curriculum. Generally, a broad-based education that is rigorous and that stresses analytical and verbal communication skills will be useful.

Law School Admissions Test (LSAT)

Philosophy majors consistently outperform nearly all other majors on the LSAT, both nationally and internationally.

However, because admission to law school is highly competitive, there is no easy path to success. Good students who develop skills in the comprehension and analysis of complex material through the study of Philosophy and a strong GE program can position themselves to compete with the best.

Placement

Our Philosophy majors and minors have been accepted at many outstanding law schools. These include: Northwestern, Harvard, Yeshiva, UC Davis, UC Berkeley, UC Irvine, Loyola School of Law, College of William and Mary, Lewis and Clark, Connecticut, Hastings College of Law, University of Southern California, Boston University, Southwestern University, Loyola Marymount, University of San Diego, Pepperdine, Chapman, Suffolk University, Whittier College, and University of Seattle.

Application

For more information about pursuing the Pre-Law emphasis, please contact